Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Candy

Renee

Rosy

Molly

Emily

Shannon

moi

Grace

Mrs. N

Matthew Stuckey

Prayer of Those Suffering Miscarriage

My Lord, the baby is dead!
Why, my Lord—dare I ask why? It will not hear the whisper of the wind or see the beauty of its parents’ face—it will not see the beauty of Your creation or the flame of a sunrise. Why, my Lord?

“Why, My child—do you ask ‘why’? Well, I will tell you why.
You see, the child lives. Instead of the wind he hears the sound of angels singing before My throne.
Instead of the beauty that passes he sees everlasting Beauty—he sees My face.
He was created and lived a short time so the image of his parents imprinted on his face may stand before Me as their personal intercessor.
He knows secrets of heaven unknown to men on earth. He laughs with a special joy that only the innocent possess.

My ways are not the ways of man. I create for My Kingdom and each creature fills a place in that Kingdom that could not be filled by another.
He was created for My joy and his parents’ merits. He has never seen pain or sin. He has never felt hunger or pain. I breathed a soul into a seed, made it grow and called it forth.”

I am humbled before you, my Lord, for questioning Your wisdom, goodness, and love. I speak as a fool—forgive me. I acknowledge Your sovereign rights over life and death. I thank You for the life that began for so short a time to enjoy so long an Eternity. -- Mother M. Angelica

Texas Rep. Farrar has introduced legislation, HB 3318, that would make it a non-capital offense for a mother to kill her child before his first birthday.

Right now, it's capital murder. Her bill changes that to a state felony. The penalty would be 180 days - 2 years, and a fine not to exceed $10k, if the mother can prove that she killed her kid due to the effects of childbirth or lactation. The bill does not specify that the mother be diagnosed with postpartum psychosis or other mental illness.

Why is it not so bad to kill an 11 month old, but capital murder to kill a 13 month old? Why would we lower penalties for mothers to kill their own children? And why can't fathers kill their kids - isn't that gender discrimination?Farrar's analysis is chilling. She says that because women might suffer from postpartum psychosis, the punishment should be changed. She ignores the fact that the law already allows for an insanity defense. I'm not sure how she arbitrarily decided that a child who's made it to his first birthday is worth more than a child just learning to crawl.

Farrar is not concerned with helping women with postpartum depression or protecting children, but rather for decriminalizing infanticide. This bill will not keep a single child from harm; it merely lowers the penalty for that child's murderer.

I've looked at Rep. Farrar's other legislation, and there are no bills calling for increased screening or support for women who might suffer from postpartum depression, no resolutions to support families in crisis. She represents the 148th District in Houston, TX.

She actually has quite a record of promoting the abortion agenda, including:

Introducing HB 680. HB 36 would require abortionists to get the voluntary, informed consent from the pregnant woman, including name of physician performing the procedure, gestational age of the baby, mandates an ultrasound and the the pregnant woman is allowed to see it, and requires doctors to inform the mother of possible side effects of abortion. HB 680 makes that not a requirement for abortions performed on women who became pregnant through a criminal act (incest, rape, etc.) I don't know why they shouldn't have to provide informed consent, but I suspect it's the whole "make an ultrasound available" clause.

HB 684, which is similar to HB 680 but is for parents with children with irreversible fetal anomalies. Guess they don't need to know about abortion side effects or support services, either.

HB 2221, which would force Catholic hospitals to provide not just information on emergency contraception, but to also to provide the pills. (As opposed to HB 44, which would require the information on emergency contraception to make it clear that EC is an abortifacient, and could affect an already fertilized egg. This distinction is necessary since "pregnancy" has been redefined to mean "implantation in the uterus".)

Surely, Farrar's 100% NARAL approval rating, and her recent award from Planned Parenthood, are just coincidences.

I know that several of my bloggy friends are in Texas. Let's light up the Austin switchboard! HB 680 has been kicked to the Committee on State Affairs, where it needs to die. Contact committee members and let them know this is a bad law and bad precedent (and tell them to support HB 36, while you're at it.) Tell everyone you know that it's not okay for mothers to kill their babies; it's murder and the penalties should reflect that!Farrar is a Catholic. May God have mercy on her.

The government recommends storing 3 days of water, more if you live in a disaster prone area. As I noted before, the official pandemic flu website recommends 2 weeks worth of water or even more. Certainly, being prepared for an emergency (water main breaks, power outages at the plant, etc.) is a good idea.

Practically, though, the idea is a little overwhelming. The experts recommend 1 gallon per person per day as a rule of thumb. My family? That's 126 gallons! Where do you get it, and where do put it?

A 3 day supply of water is more manageable, and a good place to start if you are truly overwhelmed. You can add to your stock little by little.

You can buy gallon bottles of water, refill from spigots at the markets, and so on, storing in a cool place (coat closet? Pantry floor? ) Any food safe waterproof container can be used to store tap water for an emergency - soda bottles, milk jugs, and so on. Don't leave them where they will get too warm or in direct sun, because the plastic can leach chemicals into the water (although, if your choice is life threatening dehydration or possible ingestion of BPA's, pass the plastic!)

If you have advance warning that a natural disaster is going to strike, you can fill your bathtubs and washing machine (if you have a top loader!)

A regular size bathtub will hold 40-50 gallons, as will a top loader (I think mine holds about 40 gallons. I vaguely remember measuring it at some point and coming to that conclusion).

And, of course, your hot water heater holds water (unless you have a point of use system installed.)

Make sure you boil or disinfect it before drinking - people wash their rear ends in that tub!

If you are planning to use this option, make sure you test it out!Aaron Newton found out that his bathtub plugs leak - emptying overnight - during a test run of off grid living. Also, be aware that if a sudden water emergency happens, like a water main breaks, you won't have enough warning to fill your tub.

You can also fill other containers, like pitchers, pots, bowls, and coffee pots.

Disinfect water by adding 8-10 drops of plain chlorine bleach per gallon, and letting it sit for 30 minutes.

You can use natural water sources with the right water purifier, like Berkey Water Purifier They're pricey, but you can pour scummy river water into it and get safe, fresh drinking water. We were actually planning to get one until the transmission on our van used up our extra tax refund.

From the Berkey website:

The Berkey™ Filter element had extensive testing at State & EPA accredited laboratories and far exceed EPA & ANSI/NSF (Std. 53) protocol. The Black Berkey elements have been Tested by the University of Phoenix. Spectrum Labs and the Department of Toxicology and Environmental Science Louisiana University.

Because the versatile Black Berkey® purification elements fit most other manufacturers gravity filters, off brand gravity filtration systems can be upgraded. This replacement filter vastly improves other brands housings ability to remove unwanted water contaminates.

(Although if you buy from the Amazon link, you'll help Mama's Old Age Fund! wink wink)

We considered the Berkey after Hurricane Ike. We were told not to drink the water. But, the land was flooded! Water, water, every where, but not a drop to drink... Also, the Berkey doesn't use electricity.

Other things to consider:

If the water isn't running, you won't be able to do laundry. Unless your handy husband can whip up a James washer real quick like! (Uses 8 gallons of water for washing, another 8 gallons for rinsing.) If you use cloth diapers, rags instead of paper towels, etc., you will not be able to do the wash. Plan to use disposables.

When planning your food supply, take water usage into account. Rice uses less water to cook than pasta, for example. Kidney beans use more water to prepare than lentils do. You'll need water to reconstitute powdered milk or drink mixes.

Alternately, your food supply can provide water. Green beans are canned in juice that can be used to drink or prepare food; pineapple or fruits contain natural juices; or even buy bottles and cans of fruit juices. Stick with 100% fruit juice, if you go that route. The vitamins, especially vitamin C, will boost your immune system. Caffeinated sodas or juice with high fructose corn syrup can make you thirsty and are bad for teeth that may not be getting brushed on a normal schedule. In my experience, it's also best to avoid vegetable juices (tomato, V8) because they are very salty and will increase thirst.

You will not be able to brush your teeth, wash your hands, or shower with running water. Have a dishpan or basin available for "bird baths"; pour water into a bowl to wash hands the old fashioned way.

You will have to do dishes by hand, but your dishwasher still makes a great drying rack! Use the old fashioned method of filling the sink with just enough hot soapy water, washing, draining the soapy water, filling with rinse water, and then dipping and rinsing.

Have a potty plan! Set aside additional water (doesn't need to be drinkable) to flush the toilet, or consider a compost toilet. Good hygiene is critical if your family becomes ill, and planning ahead will be critical to successfully keeping germs at bay without running water. But, also remember in an emergency that the toilet does not need to be flushed every time someone makes a "number one". You could always use a bucket with a lid as a "chamber pot", but I would imagine that would smell and be hard to clean. (Just between you and me? I think a compost toilet is kind of cool but husband dear would have a heart attack and die if he thought I was actually serious about making one and using it. I guess after 7 kids I'm just used to poop, now. He won't do cloth diapers, either.)

The true survivalist can install a rainwater catch sytem, basically to hold runoff from your houses downspouts. The basics are here, but really, it's not rocket science. Large barrel, waterproof and foodsafe, to hold water. Hole in to for water to enter. Net or filter to keep out debris and mosquitos. Hole and tap in bottom to get water out. Leave enough room under tap to put a container. Some systems have a roof runoff container that will discard the first few gallons of runoff because it's nasty - bird poop and shingle muck. Do NOT drink roof runoff unless it's been purified and filtered! You can water your garden, flush toilets, and so on with it, though.

Random Flu tip: Teach your children NOT to cover their mouth when they cough, but rather, to cough into their elbows. A child who coughs and snots on their hands, and then touches every surface in the house, might as well have just coughed into the air.

Random Disaster tip: Plan ahead for some little treats to "smooth the bumps". Whether it's comforting junk food that you don't usually buy (cookies, pop tarts, lollipops) or little activities (new puzzles, new box of crayons, bottle of bubbles) that you pull out to combat cabin fever, it's the little things that can make things better or tolerable.

What are your tips for storing water?

**Please note: No, I have not lost my ever-lovin' mind. I am not planning to fashion a homemade washing machine out of scrap lumber in order to do laundry during a swine flu meltdown. Although I was tempted to do the wash in the bathtub when the washer broke. I'm simply presenting tips and techniques that I've come across for your information. Take what works for your family, and leave the rest!

*** I do have gallons of bottled water stored, and I really would fill the bathtubs and washer, though. And I ran to the store today and bought some extra bottles of bleach, paper towels, and TP just in case.

The first US death from the Swine Flu happened yesterday at a Houston hospital. A family traveled from Mexico through Brownsville to get medical care for their almost 2 year old son, but he didn't make it in time.

It's hard to know what to do about this. On the one hand are commentators and officials who say it's not an epidemic yet, people die from the flu all the time. Don't worry. On the other hand, Japan has fever sensors at the airport and Egypt is slaughtering all of their pigs in an attempt to prevent an outbreak.

Janet Napolitano claims that there is no reason to close the borders, but really, there is no WAY to close the border with Mexico, even if we wanted to. Obama is warning that schools may have to close.

The government has set up a website, www.pandemicflu.gov, which has planning and prep tips. The usuals are there - wash your hands, use waterless sanitzer, and so on. And then they throw in this apocalyptic stunner: Lay in a 2 week supply of food and water.

A friend has told me that Corpus Christi drugstores are already cleaned out of medicines, and the shelves are bare.

If an epidemic occurs, it will devastate the economy. Schools will close, as will daycares. Parents will have to stay home with their children - and stay away from work. In Mexico, restaurants aren't allowed to serve customers, and can sell take-out only.

What do I think? I'm not predicting the end of the world, however, prudence is a virtue. It is better to be overprepared than to be caught short, especially if you have children.

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it Proverbs 22:3

But don't go nuts and lose your mind over it.

A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. Proverbs 14:15

Don't forget several week's worth of TP! If you get diarrhea, you'll need extra. And paper towels are your friend when keeping germs at bay (especially if you are trying to conserve water!) If there is no water available, you will not be able to do laundry. You might want a backup of disposables if you cloth diaper (and remember that diarrhea symptom? Yeah, disposables!)

If an outbreak hits, the grocery stores, transportation industry, and even food manufacturers will probably be short handed or may even have to close. What I missed most during Ike: eggs. They're called for in a lot of recipes and baked goods!

Have a supply of prescription drugs and over the counter flu relief. Don't forget soap and Pedialyte! Vomiting has been reported with this flu, so get the clear pedialyte. Flavor it with lemonade powder if your kids hate the clear stuff. Orange pedialyte is really hard to get out of carpets - ask me how I know!

In the past, Emetrol has been a godsend. Walmart sells a generic for around $2.

If an outbreak happens in your town, these are your new best friends. Stock up accordingly.

Bleach. Buy plain (not the special scented kinds) so you can purify water if needed.Lysol

Waterless (alcohol based) hand sanitizer

You may want to rethink the disinfecting wipes. Studies have shown they spread more germs than they kill.

We ended up having some friends over on Saturday, and the car broke down so I made a quick run to the store and hope it holds out! Also, this meant that I had to do my shopping at the more expensive grocery that is right next to our house.

I spent $174.34Average weekly total: $119.00(My weekly goal is $140, but some weeks I spend a lot less and some weeks I spend a lot more. I operate on cash, so if I spend $98 one week, I'll have $42 leftover to add to the next week's budget. Although often the cash gets eaten in the form of Sonic Happy Hour drinks.)

It often seems that all of the groceries run really great sales on the same week, and that's when I spend more money.

This week, we had some friends over for a cookout on Saturday so I bought some extra things I usually never get, like 12 pk of Dr. Pepper. I set out a lot of veggie and fruits, but I think I should have bought more junk food (potato chips).

I told you about baby Faith Hope a few weeks ago. She has anencephaly, but her mother Myah chose to give her as much life as she could. Baby Faith is 9 weeks old now! She's so beautiful.

Myah and Faith are under attack. She is experiencing the evil side of the internet, and was getting such horrible messages that she had to delete her email account, then delete her Facebook account. I can't imagine getting messages day after day wishing my child dead or worse, but that is what she is going through.

Please pray for this family, and for their attackers.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

Life in a big family means that we look out for the earth everyday. The fact that it's good for the pocket book might also have something to do with it.

Here's how Mama's family saves the earth, one day at a time:

Reduce: We limit a lot of things.

TVs - We have one. Can you imagine if we let the kids have a TV in their room? Who needs 5 TVs?

Other electronics - Same goes for gaming systems, we don't have one, because we only have one TV. We have one cell phone for the family, because someone's almost always home. The kids don't get one. Their brothers and sisters will tattle on them if they leave their boundaries and my children run in a gang together.

Shoes - they have 2 pair each, play and church. That's 28 shoes, people, which is plenty!

Juice- we just buy a quart instead of the little pouches. Much easier than unwrapping 7 little straws, then picking up 7 little straw papers before the vacuum clogs. Same goes for little oatmeal packets, little bags of crackers, and so on. We just all dive in to the big bag and share our cooties all around.

Happy meals - don't buy these at all. If we go out, we force the children to share a large fries - cutting neon printed greasy cardboard waste by 90%.

There are 9 people in house, which works out to 244 sq. ft. of living space per person. Our previous home clocked in at 144 sq. ft. This is less than a family of 4 living in a 1000 sq. ft. - and we have one set of appliances (contrasting 2 families of 4).

My children also reduce water waste by never flushing the toilet until Mama catches them and forces them to flip the lever. My older boys contribute by pretending to wash their hair but not actually using water or shampoo.

ReuseWhat mom hasn't folded a paper towel in half and then used the other side?We don't throw away the vacuum the 9 yo dropped down the stairs. A little duct tape, and it's as good as new!

Empty jars are saved for catching bugs, storing leftovers, holding guppies, pantry storage, and catching lizards. Not a day goes by without a Miracle Whip habitat creation!

I also have a large Rubbermaid tub with "tweener toys" - toys that Mister X has outgrown, but the new baby will use. However, since we own everything Fisher Price ever created, it does make birthday gifts difficult. On the other hand, my boys are quite happy with natural toys. Rocks and sticks, anyone?

Everything gets passed along or repurposed!

RecycleThey're called hand-me-downs. And leftovers.

And because I'm a cheap-o, I put all of the kids' workbooks into page protectors so they can use a dry erase marker -and then I can recycle the very same book for the next kid. This also solves the problem of the obstinate child who is playing dumb and messes up the worksheet on purpose. Oh, that never happens to you? Uh, never mind, then.

What did you do for Earth Day?

Our neighbors celebrated Earth Day by lacing their yard with mothballs (an illegal use of pesticide, BTW). It stinks and is so dangerous to pets and children. A single mothball, which looks like a big white Lemonhead, can put a toddler in the hospital. Not sure what to do about that... they are our "cranky" neighbors that are hard to talk to and stole our cat (before abandoning it a few months later).

I will endeavor to get all my irritation, anger, and nitpicking at our current government out all at once. I will also try to use some nifty adjectives that are too often neglected.

Obama answered a reporter's questions yesterday, saying:

"This has been a difficult chapter in our history... the memos that were released reflected us losing our moral bearings."

Wow, he dug deep and found some moral fiber? I agree. It is a difficult chapter in our history, and it is grotesque.

***This ad from Priests for Life is graphic***

Oh, wait, he's talking about waterboarding the 9/11 masterminds. Never mind all of those children who are drawn and quartered for being not healthy enough, not convenient enough, or somehow not human enough to live. America will just continue to ignore the slaughter of our own Untermenschen.

(Don't forget that Obama voted for letting children who managed to survive an abortion die of neglect.)

Now he wants to get involved with interstate commerce, and see about taxing internet sales. This could force companies to comply with each state's sales tax laws. The amount of paperwork - sales tax licenses, quarterly filings, and so on - would be an enormous burden.

Watch small retailers go out of business! Small business owners are the biggest source of employment in the US - wonder what that's going to do to the unemployment rate?

What was it Obama promised? Families making under $250,000 won't see any of their taxes increase?

Right. He's already raised the cigarette tax, and now he wants to impose a brand new tax on the American people.

Archaeologists think they found the Garden of Eden! Or at least, a temple that is 11,000 years old.

Schmidt points to the great stone rings, one of them 65 feet across. "This is the first human-built holy place," he says...

Prehistoric people would have gazed upon herds of gazelle and other wild animals; gently flowing rivers, which attracted migrating geese and ducks; fruit and nut trees; and rippling fields of wild barley and wild wheat varieties such as emmer and einkorn. "This area was like a paradise," says Schmidt, a member of the German Archaeological Institute.

Good rebuttal of a call for a ban on breastpumps for nursing mothers in the workforce, by women who "feel like cows".

It was hard enough to get employers to accept women pumping at work; if you don't like it, don't do it- but don't make it harder for others!

I *think* that the point the writer of the original article was trying to make was that there should be long, paid maternity leave for 6 months. Which I also have a problem with, even though I am a woman who nursed while working and didn't get enough maternity leave because it was unpaid!

3.

Obama's Education Secretary wants to expand the second worst legacy from the Bush administration - No Child Left Behind. Of course, it involves expanding federal involvement in education.

"We need national standards, and assessments to measure them," Duncan said. "The idea of having 50 states designing their own standards is crazy."

No, more testing and letting the Feds decide what an appropriate education is for my child is crazy.

Related but belated is this post from Taliban Rising, which examines some of the more extremist views on women held by some SPPX Catholics.

6.

Remember when I talked about someone setting the grass behind our house on fire? Tonight someone broke into the neighbors house in broad daylight, coming from the same place. I was home all day and didn't hear a thing.

Even scarier - I let the kids play in the backyard. My boys love going to the water to get critters (I can see it from our house, and I can usually hear them, too!) But what if it was our house they had targeted? I'm 8 months pregnant - what could I do with all these children? Run out the front door?

We've talked about buying a gun, but even if we did - I don't know how to shoot and have never touched one in my life. My doctor recommends against shooting classes until after delivery (decibel level and apparently shooting kicks up lead dust, too). (And yeah, I did ask him. This being Texas, he didn't blink an eye!) I'm still hesitant because my oldest is not the most responsible child.

I don't know if the boys should still go down there. There are no parks in my neighborhood or open play spaces and fields. I firmly believe boys especially need to be outside, and experience the outdoor world as often as possible.

Any thoughts?

7.

Miss C hurt her finger, and her siblings are taking good care of her. Mr S is giving her water - holding the glass to her lips for sipping, and the girls are giving her their stuffed animals and books. All without any adult prompting (she split her fingernail - not a mortal wound, after all.) Maybe there's hope for the heathenish tribe, yet!

Even if they tattle on themselves by taking pictures of jumping on the bed.

She wants me to keep a record of sounds and words he says, and so here it is! I'm less likely to lose it if it's kept in cyberspace. I'll be updating it, so I apologize if it keeps annoying you in your blog reader!

My goal? Feed my family of 10 for $2 per person per day (Spend $140 on food). We have 2 adults, 7 children age 2-10, and a baby on the way. We follow a Feingold diet for one child and a diabetic diet for mama.

I spent: $182.65 on food (husband bought dessert, spent $17 and lost the receipt)Average spent per week this year: $114.03

I stocked up on dairy this week - butter, cream cheese, and shredded cheese were all on sale!I also got an extra ham, because they were cheap and ham keeps for a couple of months in the fridge.

Mon. Apr 13: oatmeal eggs, cantaloupe, mangoes, oranges (this was a fiasco. My 9 yo son put away 5 whole hardboiled eggs (plus 6 orange quarters, half a mango, a glass of milk, and a slice of cantaloupe) before I stopped him - my 2 year old ate 3 and a half! Egg salad sandwiches next time, for sure. I actually got mad at the kids and made them stop eating - I was afraid they'd throw up!) (BTW - Atkins was totally wrong about eggs being more filling than bread, apparently. Must. Have. Carbs. at every meal around here!) Pasta w/ marinara, Cobb salads (ham and eggs on it; I added white beans for more protein. I always wonder if the kids get enough protein.)

Sat. Apr 18: Oatmeal or pancakes (husband dear likes to make big breakfasts; depends on if he has to work or not.) cheesy noodles w/ broccoli (and ham - maybe - although the prospects are not looking good!) ??? Husband wants to go search out some sushi making stuff; possibly fried rice of some sort or Japanese food.

You may have noticed I've been buying bread again. Yes, it's cheaper to make it (and I do think it tastes better) but I'm tired, durnit! Turns out there's a reason convenience foods are so popular!

I also got a couple of frozen meals within the diabetes guidelines for my lunches, for days when I make mac and cheese or other things for the kids. My previous solution was to cook up something special from scratch, then decide not to bother cooking for one person, then snack on cheese or something that probably wasn't enough calories, then end up eating the leftover pasta from the kids, then whacking out my blood sugar... and yes, I do think Salisbury Steak will fix it!

Also it's starting AC season, and I don't know if it makes sense to run the oven AND the AC at the same time. And I'm too tired to figure out the math right now. I might buy a couple of extra breadpans so I can make a weeks worth all at once - it would be more cost effective that way.

Sometimes you just have to know your limits. 32 weeks pregnant + 7 children + new school books/new grammar program + potty training toddler + husband having odd hours at work + starting a garden = give me a break and buy the bread.Grocery Cart Challenge also has a weekly roundup of grocery receipts!

The number of guns in Mexico that were purchased illegally in the US is 23%, not 90% as reported.

The ATF agents are going to be cracking down on gun dealers as their preferred method of enforcement. In TX, you can buy a gun with a TX driver's license. The gun dealers are protesting because they should not be held responsible for a customer's fraud. They want the ATF to go find the guy who faked his ID and arrest him.

Dallas gun store owner Donnie Durbin, president of the Texas Gun Dealers Association, said dealers have no control over what qualified buyers do with firearms after they purchase them. He said the ATF should bring more agents to target gun traffickers, not increase the number of compliance officers who audit gun dealers.

“If (ATF agents) go out and find these people selling these guns, they need to put them in jail. I don’t think the dealer would take that kind of chance,” said Durbin, adding he was not speaking for the association.

That's right - they're sending 100 bean counters to audit dealers, not target, track, and intercept the guns being taken to Mexico.

My goal? Feed my family for $2 per person, per day ($140 a week). See my right sidebar for links to each week!

Last week I asked for tilapia recipes - and got some great ones! I planned on making stuffed tilapia, but ran out of time. Then I thought of fried, but ran out of time. By the time I got dinner in the oven, I just put the fish, sliced onions, and dotted with butter. I even forgot to salt and pepper it. It still turned out pretty good.

Why did I run out of time? Someone set the grass around the bayou behind our house on fire. It ended up getting put out with our garden hose, handed over the fence to a policeman, before the fire department showed up.

And then every kid in the neighborhood showed up to find out what happened.

The bayou is where my kids catch their critters.

Then they put them in my mixing bowls.

I spent $98.01. Mostly due to procrastination - I put off going to the store. My "spending week" runs roughly Wednesday to Wednesday, with most of the shopping done over the weekend for the following week. So the shopping for Week 14, Apr. 5-11, took place between Apr. 1-7.

Tues, Apr. 7- oatmeal (I'm so predictable) Homemade version of SpaghettiosWhite bean pasta with peppers and onions (frozen)More errands, since every place we went on Monday had just closed as we pulled into the parking lot. Yes, three times! So we went out to eat, which blew our entertainment budget for April.

I could join the Green, Democratic, Constitution, Libertarian, or Republican party. And yet, I can't agree with the platform of any of them.

Is there a prolife conservative party? A party that will secure our borders, but still treat immigrants as people? A party that can see that public education isn't working, but won't throw the baby out with the bathwater? A party that supports parental rights - but protects the rights of children not to be poisoned or drawn and quartered because they are inconvenient, costly, or not up to our standard of perfect? A party that says we should feed disabled people, not starve them; respect their right to refuse treatment, but not kill them?

Greens are rejected because I pretty much disagree with them on everything. Abortion, 2nd Amendment, immigration, taxation, repealing federal anti-drug laws... the list is endless. I'd estimate I'm the polar opposite of a Green party member, even if I do water with gray water, keep the AC off as much as possible, and make my own biodegradable cleaning agents.

Democrats are rejected because of the life issue- and taxes, and universal health care (read: health care rationing). This party has given us Jimmy Carter, the Clintons, the Obamas, Ted Kennedy, Pelosi... it's the party of turncoat Catholics who like to show up on Easter for show but don't actually believe anything the Church teaches.

Still, I do not want a religious party. I reject the Constitution party partly because of their mission - "to restore our government to its Constitutional limits and our law to its Biblical foundations." Without definition, "Biblical foundations" look like code words for a particular kind of Biblical fundamentalism; a literal biblical interpretation. I'm also not convinced that our Constitution is actually based mainly on Biblical foundations, but more loosely on a general moral code (which does have a basis in the Bible). Many of our Founding Fathers would not pass the Bible Christian test today.

I also disagree with the Constitution Party's platform to repeal the 17th amendment (direct election of Senators, as opposed to the state governor appointing them) and I don't think we should abolish all foreign aid.

I'm not a Libertarian because I reject out of hand the notion that abortion is merely a matter of personal conscience and that the government has no interest or right to regulate marriage. I also think it's a horrible idea to abolish free education (as broken as the public education is, making everyone suddenly pay for their children to attend some sort of private school is not the answer.)

And the Republicans...well, most of them don't seem to be following their platform anymore. The last Republican presidential candidate was McCain- author of the McCain-Feingold Act, restricting American's political speech! Bush gave us No Child Left Behind. Several Republicans have voted for Obama legislation.

All I'm left with are small fringe groups, many relatively new, many without an official platform.

Got a breathless email from Planned Parenthood. (I'm on their list, I like to see what they are up to.) Their new campaign is Get Yourself Tested (for STDs)

Expanding access to preventive care, including contraception and STD testing, will do more than anything else to improve reproductive health for young people.

How is getting tested for an STD preventative health? What condition is it preventing? It is, perhaps, wise depending on one's personal history and behavior to get tested, so early treatment can begin if necessary, but I don't see how it prevents anything.

The email goes on to claim that aside from contraception, getting tested is the biggest way to slow the spread of HIV. I'd say that telling HIV positive people to remain abstinent - and supporting and helping them - would do more.

2.

I can't believe Obama gave the Queen an iPod. It's not even American, it's made in China. How can his people let him remain so utterly clueless? And why hasn't he hired a personal shopper who knows what they are doing?

He should have given her an authentically American gift, like a charity-auction date with George Clooney.

3.

St. Gemma Galgani is one of my patron saints, and her feast day is Apr. 11. A website in her honor is sponsoring a novena, starting Friday, Apr. 3. Go here for details.

4.

In the Senate this week...

These bills failed: Requirement that bills be posted publicly 5 days before a vote (what do the Dems want to keep secret?), funding for a border fence, DeMint amendment to end auto bailouts, Vitter amendment to put an end to TARP, legislation to prevent health care rationing, and CPSIA reform.Passed? Obama's budget. And also, 2nd amendment rights legislation allowing Amtrak passengers to have a gun in their checked luggage (if they are law abiding, have a permit, etc. of course).

That 90% tax on AIG I railed about has slinked off to die a slow death in committee. Instead, we have Pay for Performance, in which Tim Geithner, who is not an elected official, gets to determine what is fair pay, bonuses, and adequate performance at all levels of any company receiving government bailout money. Yes, even the janitor. Not sure how that's going to play out with the UAW.

Sigh. In the future, you better hope someone you love has enough "quality of life" to be allowed medications and treatments, if Obamacare passes. I wonder if they'll deny prenatal care to women with congenitally disabled children? I'm pretty sure they'll be rationing cancer care for the elderly and disabled.

5.

My baby says "Lovies!" - or, actually, "Yuvvies!" Husband dear deigned to leave the house without kisses and hugs all around and Mr X ran to the window and shouted at him. It's funny, because the /l/ sound is one he makes very well (another quirk, my 3 year old hasn't entirely mastered /l/.) He will say /y/ if the sound is at the beginning of the word.

6.

I bought a new coffee pot. My old one bit the dust very suddenly. Did you know that KitchenAid makes a coffee pot that costs $200?!? I don't know if it grows, harvests, and roasts its own coffee or what, but I ended up with Mr. Coffee. I didn't buy the cheapest, but it wasn't that expensive for an appliance I use every day. Most important feature: automatic shutoff. Really, really important. Second most important feature? Pause 'N Serve. Because having to wait for the whole pot to brew is so burdensome.

I was briefly tempted by the French presses - so simple, no plugs. But friends and the Web of Lies internet told me I'd also have to have a good bean grinder to make uniform, coarse grains. Plus I'd have to boil water everyday, first thing in the morning, and I'm way too lazy for that.

7.

Please keep my friend's family and especially his little girl in your prayers tomorrow. She has a medical test and gets nervous.

I have removed the Moms for Modesty button from my sidebar. I do still agree with the premises, but truthfully, I was always a little disappointed it was only a blog button, and nothing more.

I haven't subscribed to the blogger who created it in a very long time. I unsubbed for many and varied reasons, and pretty much forgot about that blog.

It has been brought to my attention that the blogger in question has said quite a few things I do not agree with or support. She recently had a few quite vehement diatribes against rosaries and the claim that Catholics are not Christians.

Her opinion, her blog.

My opinion, my blog:I am choosing not to help her traffic or appear to support her views by linking to her or posting her button.

(But I still have a hard time finding clothing appropriate for a little girl!)

My goal? Spend $2 per person, per day on food ($140 a week.) Check out my sidebar for previous weeks.

I didn't get around to shopping until Tuesday night. And since this is also my backwards Works for Me Wednesday Post - I'd love to know what everyone spends on groceries! Or if you have a great tilapia recipe! (Check out We Are That Family for more WFMW dilemmas!)

I spent $82.73 on food; my weekly average is $111.29, which absolutely astounds me!

Can of smoked oysters, 8 ct. sushi rolls (didn't shop alone tonight... $8.50 for grocery store sushi???)The Menu:Sunday -eggs, fruit macaroni and cheese w/ peas and carrots went to Denny's (entertainment budget, not food. Yeah, we're blowing the tax money as fast as we can, LOL!)Mon. Mar 30 - oatmeal tostadas Pasta primavera w/peppers, onions, and tomatoes; asparagusTues. Mar 31 - oatmeal, oranges girls at leftovers, boys at ranch style beans w/ hominy Frozen pizza, broccoliWed. Apr 1 - Cheerios w/ milk Egg salad sandwiches, celery and carrots, cantaloupe black beans and sweet potato concoction... probably with curry, and spanish rice(I bought the sweet potatoes planning to have them with pork chops, but the store was out of the sale pork so I ended up with no meat. So I'll make something up and the family will either love it or hate it. It won't kill them. I'm vaguely thinking of a ropa vieja type dish but with carribbean flavor and no meat.)

Thurs. Apr 2 - granola (homemade, this recipe. It tastes good, but I like granola clusters and chunks and this more like flavored oats.) split pea soup w/ barley and carrots Meatloaf, mashed potatoes,

Fri. Apr 3 - oatmeal burrito bowls (If Chipotle can do it, so can I!) Tilapia something - I'm really bad at cooking fish. We rarely have it and I don't like fish all that much - anyone have any really great recipes? Leave it in the comments!

Sat. Apr 4 - oatmeal (when I don't make oatmeal, the littles beg for it. Mr X's morning is not complete unless he's had a bowl) leftovers or lentil soup Chicken/broccoli w/ white sauce, served over rice (you know, that Campbell's chicken and rice casserole, but deconstructed because I have to limit my rice.)

A word about snacks. Snacks at our house are almost always fruit. My boys like to split a can of Ranch Style beans when I let them. This is why I buy pounds and pounds of apples, bananas, oranges, and grapes. You'll notice most "snacky" food doesn't appear on my grocery receipts - if I don't buy cookies, potato chips, and Hot Pockets, the kids have no choice but to eat healthy food!

It also really helps keep my budget in check. For example, I bought 15# of oranges for $6 - the cost of two bags of Oreos or two 6-packs of Danimals yogurt. 15# of oranges = over 30 fruits, or 5 times as many snacks as the yogurt.